Check out one of Dr. West’s more recent public appearances in this video put out by the BBC. The professor encourages President Obama to not “simply be the friendly face of the American Empire.” West even goes so far to ask him, “How deep is your love for poor and working people?” He insists, “Don’t be seduced by the elites.”

And the professor begs for democratic policies in place of technocratic ones, splicing in images of afflicted Americans. But in spite of the tough criticism, or, as he calls it, “loving pressure,” he does offer Obama a fair consolation prize: “I applaud your brilliance; I applaud your charisma.”